I Fear the Gods

Chapter 3: Abel

The news came from a couple of higher-ups. A Demicide in Zone Seven hadn't occurred in ten years, let alone near the A.D.A. Headquarters. The way they described the scene already made Abel's hands shake, but – to make matters worse - Kane had discovered the body.

          The hours passed like days in Abel's mind as he waited outside the interrogation division's main office. His friend laid in there, surrounded by the cerebellum of Veritas, a tool crafted by the goddess Veritas to search someone's memories for the truth. Abel shifted, his hands clambering together behind his back. The spotless white walls reflected his image as the ceiling towered overhead. He stared at himself. Though he held his form, his entire body fought the urge to curl up on the floor. He looked like a lost child.

Suddenly, the shifting of gears sounded to his right. The tempered glass door slid apart, revealing a man. No. His friend. Abel turned, his hands relaxing as his eyes met Kane's gaze. Yet, as he stared ahead, Abel's heart caught in his chest. Kane's eyes had sunken in from lack of sleep. His posture stood stiff, but his face lacked all expression except a smile. The same smile he wore at the execution.

"Does anyone else know?" Kane asked.

"No. Only me and some higher ups." Abel raised his eyebrows at the question.

"Good. I want the first go at them."

"First go at who?"

"They're back. The Demis are finally making their move just in time for our induction."

Abel's mouth couldn't form the words or expression to meet with Kane's remark. Kane's smile hung in the air and brewed a powerful silence. Did it echo with excitement? Did it scream with hatred? It didn't matter because Abel could see only one thing. The one thing he could always see. Pain lied behind his smile.

"Let's go," Kane said. "This is the first day of evaluations, and I'm not gonna let you get ahead of me."

Abel mustered a pitiful smile as they walked off toward the locker room.

___

The smell of bleach coming from the rows of offices proved to be the only thing to throw the stillness in the air between them off. Even when they reached the cold, outside air, the silence still carried them forward. Not even the smell of fresh winter twisted Abel's mouth open. If he tried, he bit his own tongue. With so much room for thought, not a thought blossomed between them. The only thought Abel had, one he did not share, was of Kane's smile. How innocent it used to be. The smile which shone so bright whenever he beat Abel in a sparring session. The smile which glowed when they got into the A.D.A. Now, it sat upon his face, tainted by something. As if his mouth fell to some greater force. Why? Why did Abel cling to his smile? Maybe nostalgia groped at the pit in his stomach. Maybe longing clawed at his heart. Longing for the days when they used to dream. Maybe fear clung to his chest. Abel shook the thought from his head. Scared? Scared of his greatest friend?

Back in childhood, Abel used to see Kane walking home alone. Abel's grandmother would pick Abel up from school in her old S.U.V., and they'd end up driving along the same road Kane would travel on. They'd always pass each other on a small bridge before turning off toward their different paths home. Abel would try to peek his head out the window, but Kane always ignored him, looking straight ahead. He looked lonely back then.

Abel told his grandmother he wanted to walk home, leaving out his reason. She said no at first, and Abel couldn't blame her for the way the world worked, but he still attempted to reason with her. It took many attempts, but she eventually agreed.

There, on that desolate street, Abel would walk several yards behind Kane on their way home. Day after day, he'd try to inch closer, yet not once did Kane swing his gaze. Not once did he listen to Abel's footsteps. He always looked ahead. It took three months to get Kane to acknowledge him. Abel had had enough. He screamed at Kane from several yards back. "Hey!" Abel's voice echoed down the street. "What's your name?" Kane stood stiff for a moment, still gazing ahead. Yet, upon that bridge, he finally turned for the first time and locked eyes with Abel. Silence. Then Kane did the only thing Kane would do. He turned around and kept walking. Abel didn't let up. Every day, he'd walk the same path. Every day he'd ask his name.